This movie builds very, very slowly, so slowly I didn't even realize how invested I was until the end of the movie rolled around and I found myself almost crying at how satisfying I found the final few shots. I didn't realize this was directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, but it makes sense, because it embodies so many of the things I always loved about his performances, bringing out the humanity of characters that might easily be overlooked in most Hollywood films. Both Hoffman and Amy Ryan are really excellent here. (The more I see of Ryan as a dramatic actress after only knowing her from The Office, the more I like her.) It reminded me in an odd way of the musical Company, a man trying to figure out what relationships should look like partly by looking at his friends' messed-up relationships and ultimately deciding it's worth it anyway. I feel like this is one that could grow on me and become, eventually, even a comfort movie.

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